Lydia settled on the carriage bench beside him. “Who else will join you, lord?”
He glanced at her. “Who would you recommend? We’ll need enough firepower to reach Sky and possibly mix it up with those mercs, but we also can’t leave Samuel undefended. If worst comes to worst, he’ll need protectors in the capital.”
“Nicole and Valentia should join us,” Lydia said. “Emily will stay with Samuel.”
Drake chuckled. “She’s not going to like that, so you can tell her. But tell me why.”
“Nicole’s ability to scout invisibly will serve us if we have to locate Sky or her mother in hostile territory. My rarity will allow me to deal with any watchers in elevated positions or open any locked gates from inside. And Valentia is simply very good at killing people.”
“So’s Emily,” Drake pointed out.
“Yet Emily is a very visible, very intimidating threat.” Lydia glanced to Samuel. “That is why she will be the ideal protector for Samuel in the capital if he arrives without us. Emily can also see the souls of anyone who attempts to sneak up on Samuel or others.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Drake agreed. “Any objections, old man?”
“I am not old,” Samuel said irritably. “Why do you insist on calling me that?”
Drake grinned at him. “Mainly because I know it pisses you off.”
Samuel sighed. “While I still do not fully endorse this course of action, if we must proceed with it, I agree with Lydia’s tactical assessment. If you take a larger force, you may have difficulty teleporting them all back. And without the ability to scout, bypass locked doors, and assassinate enemies silent from a distance, you may not succeed at all.”
Drake glanced at the carriage door. “Then I guess we should all get some grub, like normal, before we head out. In fact, let’s all eat in the tent.” He looked back at his two closest advisors. “So Robby sees us all doing it.”
Just past midnight, Drake and his chosen battle maids rode out of their camp under cover of darkness, wearing feathersteel. While he’d contemplated asking one of Sky’s rangers to join them, Drake had decided to let the poor bastards rest. Sachi knew the territory over which they’d be traveling as well as any Skybreak ranger, and he trusted her implicitly.
Before he left, with Anna’s guidance, he’d created a “recall spot” in his armored carriage. Even now, he could feel that spot as a faint tingle at the back of his mind. He’d also verified he could teleport himself, Lydia, Valentia, and Nicole back to it without issue.
Using Anna’s teleport rarity was a little like flutterstep, except the disorienting change of scenery was much longer and happened only after everyone passed through the door he “believed” would take them home. He also didn’t feel remotely tired after using it, while Anna said teleporting three people would have exhausted her. So he was in good shape.
He also carried Sky’s magic mirror. Karth hadn’t brought one, which suggested Sky still had hers. He couldn’t call her on it, but perhaps she would call him to check in.
Their fresh horses had been drawn from those in his vanguard, and while that would leave Samuel and the others without scouts for a little while, Lord Skybreak’s rangers could easily take up those duties and many more once they rested up. By the time they realized Lord Gloomwood had gone to rescue their former lord, Drake would be long gone.
As they rode at a steady trot, Sachi ranged out ahead and vanished more often than not. She was slowing herself down so they could keep up, but they couldn’t all move at catgirl speed unless they exhausted their horses. There was no need to do that yet.
Sky was likely not running her horses ragged either. She and her bodyguards had more than a day head start on them, but they’d want to be rested once she arrived at Fort Graystone. Lydia had suggested a gallop later tonight, while they still had largely level land that would suit the horses well, and then walking the horses until just before morning.
This was going to be a grueling trip. They wouldn’t have time to sleep late or lounge around camp enjoying Sachi’s yummy meat. When they weren’t riding, they would be walking, and when they weren’t walking, they would be grabbing a few hours of sleep.
Still, Drake felt ready for this. He felt more prepared for this journey than he’d been even a few weeks ago, and thanks to his recent time with Samuel’s regenerative rarity, his body was in peak physical condition. He also knew his battle maids and their gloves could help him recover each morning if he woke up sore from riding.
Sadly, he also knew Magnum was going to get heavy fast. He’d debated a good long while about the plusses and minuses of bringing his heavy revolver/crossbow on the road, but ultimately, he couldn’t just rely on his battle maids if he needed people dead. The weapon was much heavier than a paintball gun, but he’d still rather have it than not.
Goktul had put his heart and soul into this weapon, and it had already served him well by killing one assassin. Leaving Magnum behind would have been foolish. So he’d carry the weight and use it to kill people.
As they rode, it wasn’t long before Valentia spoke up. Drake had been expecting her to berate him about risking himself since she left. He braced himself for a tongue lashing.
“You were wise to choose Samuel as your successor,” Valentia said.
Drake had anticipated a lot of arguments, but he hadn’t expected that. “Yeah?”
“While Samuel currently doubts himself and fears the responsibility, he will make an excellent manor lord. He has the wisdom of years serving and surviving under lords of Gloomwood Manor and the temperament to make the hard calls.”
“I take it you’re also saying I lack all those qualities?”
“Not at all.” Valentia offered a surprisingly warm smile. “Your leadership style is simply different from a traditional manor lord. While I am more partial to Samuel’s approach, given it is that to which I am accustomed, you have had too many successes for me to dismiss them as luck. You have cunning and guile equal to the challenges you undertake.”
Nicole chuckled quietly. “Gods, Val, you’re never this nice.”
“I am simply offering feedback,” Valentia said primly. “Moreover, you did not me finish.”
Drake grinned knowingly at Lydia. “Uh oh.”
Valentia continued. “No matter how often I caution you against it, you continue to risk your own life. As your blood thrall, I cannot in good conscience endorse your decision to do that. However, that does not mean I do not respect your bravery or skill in battle.”
“Still being nice,” Nicole reminded her.
“In short, lord, I still do not think you should have led this mission. But since you have chosen to do so, and you have named Samuel as your successor so Gloomwood Manor will remain safe if you fall, there is little point in berating you. I will support you as best I can.”
“Thanks, Val,” Drake said. “Oh, and Nicole?”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“I’m glad you’re here as well. Even if you still don’t trust me.”
Nicole glanced his way. “Yet despite my best efforts, you have yet to prove my suspicions correct. So please, continue to disappoint me.”
After that, there wasn’t much to say, and Drake was happy to settle into a comfortable silence with his three overprotective battle maids and the open countryside through which they rode. Sachi came back close enough to speak only once to warn them she’d detected a group of riders. After a short debate, Drake decided to go around them. No point in taking chances.
It was well into the night when Drake finally found a chance to speak to Lydia in relative privacy. Nicole and Valentia were riding ahead now, speaking quietly, and they seemed involved in whatever they were up to. With Sachi’s recent assurance there was no one around for a good ways, everyone felt a little safer simply focusing on the ride.
Drake was pleased when he managed to successfully convince his horse to move closer to Lydia’s animal. He was getting better at riding. He still wasn’t a skilled rider by any means, but he could give his mount basic commands and not fall off it when it galloped.
Lydia looked up from some recollection and blinked at him. “Is something the matter, lord?”
He hoped he hadn’t shocked her out of anything pleasant. “You doing all right?”
She smiled at him. “Why would I be anything less than fine?”
“I don’t know, but I do want you to know I have total faith in you. I know you could excel as Lord Gloomwood if I die. But I needed you with me, so changing Samuel to my successor made the most sense. We can’t have both the lord and his successor on a mission.”
Lydia frowned and looked to the countryside, then met his eyes again. “Lord... I hesitate to admit this, but now that I am no longer your successor, I am relieved.”
That was a surprise. “You... really?”
“In those few rare times Samuel and I could speak in privacy, we dared speak of who might inherit the manor if Lord Crow fell. It was always a risk to speak of such things, as the old lord could compel us to reveal such discussions at any time. He could punish us simply for speaking of it.”
“So why are you relieved not to be my successor any longer?”
“Because I am a coward.”
Drake narrowed his eyes. “Now hold on. That’s not true at all.”
“I can only say what I believe.”
“Right, but you can also believe stuff that’s not true. How are you a coward?”
“The day you asked me why you wished me to be our manor lord, I omitted something.”
“That’s fine, but that doesn’t make you a—”
“Please let me finish,” she interrupted calmly. “I have wanted to say this for some time, but have never found the right opportunity.”
He felt like a heel for interrupting her. “All right. I’m listening.”
“I do, of course, believe everything I said to you that day. I did believe you would be the best choice to lead the manor under your new blood pact, given your experience with leading others without it in your world. I also trusted you to lead us because you gave us the ability to protect ourselves from future manor lords. You risked yourself to keep us safe.”
Drake listened in silence. That seemed like what she needed.
“Yet I kept another belief from you as well, the first time I was able to keep anything from my lord.” Lydia took a breath. “The other reason I wished you to become our manor lord, instead of taking the title myself, was because I did not wish to become a target.”
Drake nodded as it all fell into place. “That doesn’t make you a coward. Nobody would want a job that puts them in the sights of every assassin on the planet.”
“So that is what I wished to tell you, lord. I was not entirely... truthful... with you that day about my reasons for turning down the title of Lord Gloomwood. In retrospect, I preferred to let you seize the title and bear the risk in my place. Even today, your bravery inspires me.”
“I have no idea,” Drake said softly. “But you know it wasn’t bravery, right?”
“How do you mean? Your decision was incredibly brave.”
“No, my decision was ambitious and reckless, and you absolutely made the right call by staying steward to protect the manor. We’re both very lucky I didn’t fall flat on my face.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean by that?”
“Lydia, I’d been in your world a few hours when I took this title. I’ve had time to think back to our first day as well. Knowing what I know now about what goes into this job, I should have run screaming from the room. I wasn’t qualified to lead anyone.”
“Yet you did step up to lead us,” she said firmly.
“Only because I had no idea what I was signing up for. Maybe I was brave, sure. Or maybe I was simply excited by the chance to have my own manor and people to serve me, to live like a king instead of a peasant. Looking back now, I wonder. If I’d known back then, like truly known the dangers I’d face... I might have turned this title down.”
Lydia frowned. “I don’t believe that.”
“I’m just saying, a lot of what you are crediting to bravery could also be credited to having no fucking clue what I was signing up for. You knew what this job and world were like. You’d seen multiple manor lords die and knew every way your world could destroy you. Also, you had the manor to think about in case I fucked it all up.”
“That was a concern,” Lydia agreed hesitantly.
“So can I offer an alternative suggestion? Would you mind if I did that?”
“I will listen.”
“You’re no coward. You just decided to protect Gloomwood Manor another way.”
As she tilted her head, her dark hair coursed down one shoulder. “I truly don’t know what you mean, lord.”
“You serve as our steward. That’s how you protect the manor.”
“My role as steward is to support you and ensure the manor runs smoothly. Anyone could do that. I am nothing special.”
“I disagree, and so do you if you think about it. You’ve already admitted there’s no one at the manor you think will make a better steward than you.”
She said nothing.
“You may try to hide it, but don’t think I’ve noticed how completely carefree my time as a manor lord has been so far.”
She looked away. “I really would appreciate it if you would not jest about such things.”
“I’m not jesting. I’ve been through a hell of a lot, barely escaped death half a dozen times, but those are problems I would always have encountered. Yet because I have you, I have never once worried the manor would fall apart while I was busy not dying.”
Her gaze returned to him, confused. “How would the manor... fall apart?”
He thought of how frazzled Sky had seemed after she lost her steward. “I sometimes think the only reason I was able to accomplish half of what we’ve managed since I became Lord Gloomwood is because of the dozens of equally vexing problems you’ve intercepted before I heard about them. You can be modest all you like, but I can’t even imagine how much you handle for me. Problems I don’t even hear about.”
“That is kind of you to say, lord, but it is not courage. At minimum, it is competence.”
“That is one part. But that’s not the only courage I’m talking about.”
“Then...” Lydia hesitated. “What do you see as courage, lord?”
“The way you’ve held everyone in the manor together while you dealt with the worst and most homicidal bosses anyone could have. No matter how much of a complete tool Lord Gloomwood has been, you’ve been there as a barrier between the vulnerable staff of our manor and whatever asshole was running the place. You’ve had to manage dickish lords while keeping everyone else alive and keeping the manor from going under.”
“That is simply what Esme charged me to do, and it is not a task I take lightly. Even so, I will never be half the steward she was.”
“Esme was the steward before you.” Drake nodded. “The one who died.”
“It is hard to talk about her, lord, but if I have worth as a steward, it is thanks to her.”
“That’s... well, a little unreasonable,” Drake said. “The way you see your worth, I mean.”
Lydia shrugged. “I can only speak what I believe. Moreover, you have made my role so much easier. After you arrived and I began to understand what kind of a man you were, I was pleased to finally have a lord I could serve eagerly. Yet I do not want your title.”
“Because you might have to protect the others again some day,” Drake said. “I think the real reason you want to remain steward is so if Samuel and I both die somehow, and an asshole takes over the blood pact, anyone who kills us might still decide to keep you. Right?”
Her lips pressed together.
“They’d keep you alive because you’ve got a great rarity and you know how to run the place. As a lord you’d be a target, but as a steward, you’re indispensable. And if you’re indispensable, you can keep protecting everyone even if you’re stuck serving another asshole.”
She simply offered a deep sigh.
“So here’s where you’re wrong about being a coward. Your choice to remain steward to protect the others isn’t cowardice. It’s one of the bravest reasons I’ve ever heard.”
She looked away again. “You are very kind.”
“It’s not kindness, it’s fact. You’re right that dodging assassins is terrifying, but at least I could fight back and kill my enemies. Thanks to the blood pact, you never had that option.”
Still Lydia said nothing.
“You spent years living under the same roof with homicidal dickheads who could fillet you if you said the wrong word, yet you never gave up and never stepped down. Instead, you acted as a barrier between your evil lords and everyone else, and even after I showed up, you intended to do the same. I believe that is incredibly brave.”
Finally, her gaze met his again. “As I said, you are very kind.”
Now that she was looking at him again, Drake grinned to put her at ease. “Also, you should cheer up. Since I’m such a great manor lord, and I’m so skilled at defeating assassins, you can be my steward as long as you want. I’m too clever and talented to die.”
She frowned. “Your overconfidence is often vexing.”
“It can be.”
“Yet there is no lord I would rather serve.”
“Not even Lord Skybreak?”
She looked to the road ahead. “Only if I could no longer serve you.”
Lydia settled on the carriage bench beside him. “Who else will join you, lord?”
He glanced at her. “Who would you recommend? We’ll need enough firepower to reach Sky and possibly mix it up with those mercs, but we also can’t leave Samuel undefended. If worst comes to worst, he’ll need protectors in the capital.”
“Nicole and Valentia should join us,” Lydia said. “Emily will stay with Samuel.”
Drake chuckled. “She’s not going to like that, so you can tell her. But tell me why.”
“Nicole’s ability to scout invisibly will serve us if we have to locate Sky or her mother in hostile territory. My rarity will allow me to deal with any watchers in elevated positions or open any locked gates from inside. And Valentia is simply very good at killing people.”
“So’s Emily,” Drake pointed out.
“Yet Emily is a very visible, very intimidating threat.” Lydia glanced to Samuel. “That is why she will be the ideal protector for Samuel in the capital if he arrives without us. Emily can also see the souls of anyone who attempts to sneak up on Samuel or others.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Drake agreed. “Any objections, old man?”
“I am not old,” Samuel said irritably. “Why do you insist on calling me that?”
Drake grinned at him. “Mainly because I know it pisses you off.”
Samuel sighed. “While I still do not fully endorse this course of action, if we must proceed with it, I agree with Lydia’s tactical assessment. If you take a larger force, you may have difficulty teleporting them all back. And without the ability to scout, bypass locked doors, and assassinate enemies silent from a distance, you may not succeed at all.”
Drake glanced at the carriage door. “Then I guess we should all get some grub, like normal, before we head out. In fact, let’s all eat in the tent.” He looked back at his two closest advisors. “So Robby sees us all doing it.”
Just past midnight, Drake and his chosen battle maids rode out of their camp under cover of darkness, wearing feathersteel. While he’d contemplated asking one of Sky’s rangers to join them, Drake had decided to let the poor bastards rest. Sachi knew the territory over which they’d be traveling as well as any Skybreak ranger, and he trusted her implicitly.
Before he left, with Anna’s guidance, he’d created a “recall spot” in his armored carriage. Even now, he could feel that spot as a faint tingle at the back of his mind. He’d also verified he could teleport himself, Lydia, Valentia, and Nicole back to it without issue.
Using Anna’s teleport rarity was a little like flutterstep, except the disorienting change of scenery was much longer and happened only after everyone passed through the door he “believed” would take them home. He also didn’t feel remotely tired after using it, while Anna said teleporting three people would have exhausted her. So he was in good shape.
He also carried Sky’s magic mirror. Karth hadn’t brought one, which suggested Sky still had hers. He couldn’t call her on it, but perhaps she would call him to check in.
Their fresh horses had been drawn from those in his vanguard, and while that would leave Samuel and the others without scouts for a little while, Lord Skybreak’s rangers could easily take up those duties and many more once they rested up. By the time they realized Lord Gloomwood had gone to rescue their former lord, Drake would be long gone.
As they rode at a steady trot, Sachi ranged out ahead and vanished more often than not. She was slowing herself down so they could keep up, but they couldn’t all move at catgirl speed unless they exhausted their horses. There was no need to do that yet.
Sky was likely not running her horses ragged either. She and her bodyguards had more than a day head start on them, but they’d want to be rested once she arrived at Fort Graystone. Lydia had suggested a gallop later tonight, while they still had largely level land that would suit the horses well, and then walking the horses until just before morning.
This was going to be a grueling trip. They wouldn’t have time to sleep late or lounge around camp enjoying Sachi’s yummy meat. When they weren’t riding, they would be walking, and when they weren’t walking, they would be grabbing a few hours of sleep.
Still, Drake felt ready for this. He felt more prepared for this journey than he’d been even a few weeks ago, and thanks to his recent time with Samuel’s regenerative rarity, his body was in peak physical condition. He also knew his battle maids and their gloves could help him recover each morning if he woke up sore from riding.
Sadly, he also knew Magnum was going to get heavy fast. He’d debated a good long while about the plusses and minuses of bringing his heavy revolver/crossbow on the road, but ultimately, he couldn’t just rely on his battle maids if he needed people dead. The weapon was much heavier than a paintball gun, but he’d still rather have it than not.
Goktul had put his heart and soul into this weapon, and it had already served him well by killing one assassin. Leaving Magnum behind would have been foolish. So he’d carry the weight and use it to kill people.
As they rode, it wasn’t long before Valentia spoke up. Drake had been expecting her to berate him about risking himself since she left. He braced himself for a tongue lashing.
“You were wise to choose Samuel as your successor,” Valentia said.
Drake had anticipated a lot of arguments, but he hadn’t expected that. “Yeah?”
“While Samuel currently doubts himself and fears the responsibility, he will make an excellent manor lord. He has the wisdom of years serving and surviving under lords of Gloomwood Manor and the temperament to make the hard calls.”
“I take it you’re also saying I lack all those qualities?”
“Not at all.” Valentia offered a surprisingly warm smile. “Your leadership style is simply different from a traditional manor lord. While I am more partial to Samuel’s approach, given it is that to which I am accustomed, you have had too many successes for me to dismiss them as luck. You have cunning and guile equal to the challenges you undertake.”
Nicole chuckled quietly. “Gods, Val, you’re never this nice.”
“I am simply offering feedback,” Valentia said primly. “Moreover, you did not me finish.”
Drake grinned knowingly at Lydia. “Uh oh.”
Valentia continued. “No matter how often I caution you against it, you continue to risk your own life. As your blood thrall, I cannot in good conscience endorse your decision to do that. However, that does not mean I do not respect your bravery or skill in battle.”
“Still being nice,” Nicole reminded her.
“In short, lord, I still do not think you should have led this mission. But since you have chosen to do so, and you have named Samuel as your successor so Gloomwood Manor will remain safe if you fall, there is little point in berating you. I will support you as best I can.”
“Thanks, Val,” Drake said. “Oh, and Nicole?”
“I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“I’m glad you’re here as well. Even if you still don’t trust me.”
Nicole glanced his way. “Yet despite my best efforts, you have yet to prove my suspicions correct. So please, continue to disappoint me.”
After that, there wasn’t much to say, and Drake was happy to settle into a comfortable silence with his three overprotective battle maids and the open countryside through which they rode. Sachi came back close enough to speak only once to warn them she’d detected a group of riders. After a short debate, Drake decided to go around them. No point in taking chances.
It was well into the night when Drake finally found a chance to speak to Lydia in relative privacy. Nicole and Valentia were riding ahead now, speaking quietly, and they seemed involved in whatever they were up to. With Sachi’s recent assurance there was no one around for a good ways, everyone felt a little safer simply focusing on the ride.
Drake was pleased when he managed to successfully convince his horse to move closer to Lydia’s animal. He was getting better at riding. He still wasn’t a skilled rider by any means, but he could give his mount basic commands and not fall off it when it galloped.
Lydia looked up from some recollection and blinked at him. “Is something the matter, lord?”
He hoped he hadn’t shocked her out of anything pleasant. “You doing all right?”
She smiled at him. “Why would I be anything less than fine?”
“I don’t know, but I do want you to know I have total faith in you. I know you could excel as Lord Gloomwood if I die. But I needed you with me, so changing Samuel to my successor made the most sense. We can’t have both the lord and his successor on a mission.”
Lydia frowned and looked to the countryside, then met his eyes again. “Lord... I hesitate to admit this, but now that I am no longer your successor, I am relieved.”
That was a surprise. “You... really?”
“In those few rare times Samuel and I could speak in privacy, we dared speak of who might inherit the manor if Lord Crow fell. It was always a risk to speak of such things, as the old lord could compel us to reveal such discussions at any time. He could punish us simply for speaking of it.”
“So why are you relieved not to be my successor any longer?”
“Because I am a coward.”
Drake narrowed his eyes. “Now hold on. That’s not true at all.”
“I can only say what I believe.”
“Right, but you can also believe stuff that’s not true. How are you a coward?”
“The day you asked me why you wished me to be our manor lord, I omitted something.”
“That’s fine, but that doesn’t make you a—”
“Please let me finish,” she interrupted calmly. “I have wanted to say this for some time, but have never found the right opportunity.”
He felt like a heel for interrupting her. “All right. I’m listening.”
“I do, of course, believe everything I said to you that day. I did believe you would be the best choice to lead the manor under your new blood pact, given your experience with leading others without it in your world. I also trusted you to lead us because you gave us the ability to protect ourselves from future manor lords. You risked yourself to keep us safe.”
Drake listened in silence. That seemed like what she needed.
“Yet I kept another belief from you as well, the first time I was able to keep anything from my lord.” Lydia took a breath. “The other reason I wished you to become our manor lord, instead of taking the title myself, was because I did not wish to become a target.”
Drake nodded as it all fell into place. “That doesn’t make you a coward. Nobody would want a job that puts them in the sights of every assassin on the planet.”
“So that is what I wished to tell you, lord. I was not entirely... truthful... with you that day about my reasons for turning down the title of Lord Gloomwood. In retrospect, I preferred to let you seize the title and bear the risk in my place. Even today, your bravery inspires me.”
“I have no idea,” Drake said softly. “But you know it wasn’t bravery, right?”
“How do you mean? Your decision was incredibly brave.”
“No, my decision was ambitious and reckless, and you absolutely made the right call by staying steward to protect the manor. We’re both very lucky I didn’t fall flat on my face.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean by that?”
“Lydia, I’d been in your world a few hours when I took this title. I’ve had time to think back to our first day as well. Knowing what I know now about what goes into this job, I should have run screaming from the room. I wasn’t qualified to lead anyone.”
“Yet you did step up to lead us,” she said firmly.
“Only because I had no idea what I was signing up for. Maybe I was brave, sure. Or maybe I was simply excited by the chance to have my own manor and people to serve me, to live like a king instead of a peasant. Looking back now, I wonder. If I’d known back then, like truly known the dangers I’d face... I might have turned this title down.”
Lydia frowned. “I don’t believe that.”
“I’m just saying, a lot of what you are crediting to bravery could also be credited to having no fucking clue what I was signing up for. You knew what this job and world were like. You’d seen multiple manor lords die and knew every way your world could destroy you. Also, you had the manor to think about in case I fucked it all up.”
“That was a concern,” Lydia agreed hesitantly.
“So can I offer an alternative suggestion? Would you mind if I did that?”
“I will listen.”
“You’re no coward. You just decided to protect Gloomwood Manor another way.”
As she tilted her head, her dark hair coursed down one shoulder. “I truly don’t know what you mean, lord.”
“You serve as our steward. That’s how you protect the manor.”
“My role as steward is to support you and ensure the manor runs smoothly. Anyone could do that. I am nothing special.”
“I disagree, and so do you if you think about it. You’ve already admitted there’s no one at the manor you think will make a better steward than you.”
She said nothing.
“You may try to hide it, but don’t think I’ve noticed how completely carefree my time as a manor lord has been so far.”
She looked away. “I really would appreciate it if you would not jest about such things.”
“I’m not jesting. I’ve been through a hell of a lot, barely escaped death half a dozen times, but those are problems I would always have encountered. Yet because I have you, I have never once worried the manor would fall apart while I was busy not dying.”
Her gaze returned to him, confused. “How would the manor... fall apart?”
He thought of how frazzled Sky had seemed after she lost her steward. “I sometimes think the only reason I was able to accomplish half of what we’ve managed since I became Lord Gloomwood is because of the dozens of equally vexing problems you’ve intercepted before I heard about them. You can be modest all you like, but I can’t even imagine how much you handle for me. Problems I don’t even hear about.”
“That is kind of you to say, lord, but it is not courage. At minimum, it is competence.”
“That is one part. But that’s not the only courage I’m talking about.”
“Then...” Lydia hesitated. “What do you see as courage, lord?”
“The way you’ve held everyone in the manor together while you dealt with the worst and most homicidal bosses anyone could have. No matter how much of a complete tool Lord Gloomwood has been, you’ve been there as a barrier between the vulnerable staff of our manor and whatever asshole was running the place. You’ve had to manage dickish lords while keeping everyone else alive and keeping the manor from going under.”
“That is simply what Esme charged me to do, and it is not a task I take lightly. Even so, I will never be half the steward she was.”
“Esme was the steward before you.” Drake nodded. “The one who died.”
“It is hard to talk about her, lord, but if I have worth as a steward, it is thanks to her.”
“That’s... well, a little unreasonable,” Drake said. “The way you see your worth, I mean.”
Lydia shrugged. “I can only speak what I believe. Moreover, you have made my role so much easier. After you arrived and I began to understand what kind of a man you were, I was pleased to finally have a lord I could serve eagerly. Yet I do not want your title.”
“Because you might have to protect the others again some day,” Drake said. “I think the real reason you want to remain steward is so if Samuel and I both die somehow, and an asshole takes over the blood pact, anyone who kills us might still decide to keep you. Right?”
Her lips pressed together.
“They’d keep you alive because you’ve got a great rarity and you know how to run the place. As a lord you’d be a target, but as a steward, you’re indispensable. And if you’re indispensable, you can keep protecting everyone even if you’re stuck serving another asshole.”
She simply offered a deep sigh.
“So here’s where you’re wrong about being a coward. Your choice to remain steward to protect the others isn’t cowardice. It’s one of the bravest reasons I’ve ever heard.”
She looked away again. “You are very kind.”
“It’s not kindness, it’s fact. You’re right that dodging assassins is terrifying, but at least I could fight back and kill my enemies. Thanks to the blood pact, you never had that option.”
Still Lydia said nothing.
“You spent years living under the same roof with homicidal dickheads who could fillet you if you said the wrong word, yet you never gave up and never stepped down. Instead, you acted as a barrier between your evil lords and everyone else, and even after I showed up, you intended to do the same. I believe that is incredibly brave.”
Finally, her gaze met his again. “As I said, you are very kind.”
Now that she was looking at him again, Drake grinned to put her at ease. “Also, you should cheer up. Since I’m such a great manor lord, and I’m so skilled at defeating assassins, you can be my steward as long as you want. I’m too clever and talented to die.”
She frowned. “Your overconfidence is often vexing.”
“It can be.”
“Yet there is no lord I would rather serve.”
“Not even Lord Skybreak?”
She looked to the road ahead. “Only if I could no longer serve you.”
